Excavating and loading apparatus.



J. BAUER.

EXOA-VA'TING AND LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1913.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N Qk fl J.BAUER. EXGAVATING AND LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 1, 1913.

Patented Apr.28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

JOHN BAUER, OF ORIDWAY, COLORADO.

EXCAVATING AND LOADING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

Application filed July 1, 1913. Serial No. 776,889.

To (17/ wimm 1'25 may concern Be it known that I, JOHN BAUER, a citi- '/.en of the United States residing at Ordway, in the county of Crowley and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating and Loading Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to excavating and loading apparatus of the type comprising an endless conveyer having a chain of buckets secured thereto adapted to ex cavate and convey the excavated material to a suitable vehicle to be loaded, novel means being employed for automatically releasing the buckets at various predetermined points in the travel of the conveyer whereby the vehicle aforesaid will be evenly loaded with said material.

In carrying out the invention it is con templated to provide the apparatus just mentioned as an independent attachment adapted to be propelled by the vehicle to be loaded, the conveyer operating about a pcculiarly shaped track having flanges forming runways for the conveyer and other flanges for indirectly controlling the operation of the excavating buckets aforesaid. More specifically speaking, each bucket of the conveyer is supported from the track at its cutting edge by means of a carriage having gripping members adapted to cooperate with a flange of the track throughout the path of travel of the conveyer but during a portion of such travel to hold the gripping members in a position supporting the bucket in excavating position while at another portion of said travel to permit release of the gripping members for the purpose of dumping the contents of the bucket.

A further object of my device is to provide each succeeding bucket with varying sized supporting members cooperating with the gripping members aforesaid whereby said buckets will dump their contents at various predetermined points under control of the flange of the track hereinbefore mentioned.

It is furthermore an object of this invention to provide means for adjusting the apparatus to vary the depth of cutting action of the excavating conveyer as well as bodily moving the apparatus out of operating position when desired.

With these and other objects in view, my

invention consists of certain combinatio'ns,.

constructions, and arrangements of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same attached to a vehicle to be loaded in operative position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and showing more clearly the manner of supporting the excavating end of the buckets. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan of the track, showing the-tapering or operating portion of the flange for actuating the gripping members of the supporting carriages to release and dump the buckets. Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the attachment of the carriage to the excavating conveyer. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the buckets. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the carriers alone. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing more clearly the cooperation of the gripping members with the operating portion of the flange of the track. Throughout the following detail description, and on the several figures oft-he drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Specifically describing a machine con structed in accordance with my invention, the letter A designates a conveyer frame of suitable form supported upon the axle B which is rigidly secured in the driving wheels C. The axle B carries a gear 1 meshing with a pinion 2 which has connected thereto a driving sprocket 3 around which passes a driving chain 4, said chain also passing around another sprocket 5 for transmitting motion to the endless conveyer 6, shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 respectively. The conveyer 6 has secured thereto at suitable intervals excavating buckets 7 and the former operates about and upon a pair of spaced cross-shaped tracks. each of said tracks consisting of a pair of opposing horizontal flanges constituting runways for the endless conveyer and the supporting means for the buckets and opposing vertical flanges, the uppermost of which acts as a guide while the lower of said vertical flanges constitutes an operating flange for controlling the dumping act-ion of the buckets, as will be hereinafter more specifically described.

It will be understood from Fig. 1 of the drawings that the track 8 is formed with a downwardly inclined portion at the rear of the frame A, the lowermost point of which vis below the level of the wheels C when the apparatus is in operative position, while the forward end of the track or tracks is horizontally extended some distance in front of the driving wheels so as to project over a vehicle D, such as a wagon or the like, which is to be loaded.

Referring specifically to the buckets 7 each of the same is connected pivotally at its upper rear end to the conveyer chain (3, as by means of a pin 9 projecting through a link of the chain which is mounted for movement upon the upper surface of the innermost horizontal. flange of the track 8. The

front cutting edge of the bucket is formed with laterally extending arms 11 from the outermost portion of which extend upwardly, headed studs 12 by means of which the front end of the bucket is supported in a manner now to be set forth.

At a suitable point in advance of the bucket or just above the cutting edge of the same is located a carriage 13 consisting of spaced side members 13, 13 carrying at their ends rollers 14 which are mounted for travel upon the inner and outer horizontal flanges respectively of the track 8, it being understood that there is provided a carriage for each side of the bucket, operating upon the pair of spaced tracks hereinbefore mentioned. The pivots 10 for the rollers 14: preferably pass through or are connected to the conveyer chain so as to maintain the "carriage in fixed relation to the position of the bucket. Spaced transverse bars 15 extend between the bottom portion of the frame members 13 and between these bars is pivoted a pair of opposing clamping or "gripping members 16, the lower inner faces of which are notched to receive for support the head of a cooperating stud 12 carried on the bucket. The gripping members 16 are T-shaped in side elevation and on the inner faces of the upper arms 16 are mounted roller bearings 17 which contact with or operate against the opposing sides of the lower vertical flange of the track 8 as shown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Expansion springs 18 are interposed between the ends of the arms 16 and the lateral braces 19 of the side members 13, normally holding the gripping members in firm contact with, the track and throughout the greater portion of the travel of the conveyer holding the headed studs between the lower ends of the same. Specifically describing the operation of the machine, it will be apparent that as the vehiele D is drawn along, the loading apparatus comprising my invention will be pulled therewith through the detachable connecting tongue E secured to the axle B, motion being transmitted to the conveyer through the driving means hereinbcfore described. As the buckets reach their lowest point of travel about the tack 8 they perform their excavating function, carrying the material therein around the bottom part of the inclined portion of the track and to the horizontal portion of the same. For a distance indicated approximately by the letters a, to 1 the lowermost flange of each track 8 gradually tapers or becomes narrower as shown in Fig. 3, which portion, it will be observed, is above the body of the vehicle I) and as the carriages supporting each bucket reach this portion of the track the gripping members 16 under the actuation of the springs IS gradually open at their lower ends until the separation is sufficient to release the heads of the studs 12 on the cutting edge of the bucket, which latter under weight of its load drops pivotally and empties the contents into the vehicle. Adjacent the studs 12 at each side of the bucket are provided springs 20 connected to the bucket and the carriages 13, and as the bucket turns on the upper portion of the track for return, these springs pull the cutting edge downwardly into normal operative position with the heads of the studs 12 between the gripping members which close about the same as the lowermost flange of the track again reaches its normal width beyond the point y.

In order to prevent the dumping of the material in the same place or at the same point of travel of the buckets, I arrange that the vehicle will be evenly loaded. or in other words, that the buckets will be released at varying points of the travel of the conveyer so that the material is spread over the full length of the wagon, the advantage of which is too apparent to mention. This I accomplish by providing different sized heads for the studs 12 of each succeeding bucket, requiring, obviously, that the gripping members open a greater or less extent before they release the studs, through the instrumentality of the tapering form of the lower flange of the track with which said members cooperate, the releasing action being clearly illustrated in Fig. '7 of the drawings, wherein the flange aforesaid is shown at its most attenuated portion.

It will be understood that the excavating and loading apparatus as hereinbefore described is particularly useful for handling and loading manure for spreading, or similar operations, the apparatus being quickly detached when it is desired to unload, and to be again readily connected for continuation of the loading of material. In order that the machine may be conveyed from place to place without performing an excavating function, an adjusting lever 21 is mounted upon the axle B in any desired manner and connected by means of a link 22 to the rear portion of the frame or track. By drawing said lever backwardly, and moving the frame with its conveyer bodily on its pivot, the lower portion of the excavating conveyer is raised a suitable distance above the surface of the ground, and by means of this lever the depth of cutting action will be readily regulated as by moving said lever forwardly, tilting the con veyer in a direction opposite to that'herein before mentioned, the required amount' It will be apparent that various changes in the details of construction of my invention may be readily made without departing from the spirit of the same, and within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as" new is 1. In an excavating machine of the class described comprising a frame, an excavating conveyer comprising a series of buckets, sup porting means cooperating with the conveyer to hold the buckets in excavating position, said supporting means including spaced bucket engaging gripping members, a track having a flange element cooperating with the gripping members and normally holding the same in engagement with the bucket, said flange being formed to control the release of the grip )ing members from the bucket for dumping of the same at variable points in the travel of the conveyer.

2. In an excavating machine of the class described. an excavating conveyer comprising a series of. buckets, a track on which said conveyer operates, supporting means cooperating with the track for holding the bucket in excavating position, said supporting means including spaced gripping members, means on the buckets adapted to be received between the gripping members to support the bucket in operative position, said track having a flange element with. which the gripping members cooperate to hold the same in engagement with the projecting means on the bucket aforesaid and adapted to control the operation of said gripping members for releasing the last mentioned means to dump the bucket at variable points in the travel of the conveyer.

3. In an excavating and loading machine comprising a frame, an excavating conveyer comprising an endless chain of buckets each pivotally connected at one end to the conveyer. carriages for each bucket also connected to the conveyer in fixed relation to its cooperating bucket, means on said carriage tor supporting the relatively movable end of the bucket and operable to release said end for dumping the contents of the bucket, and means connected with the bucket and the arriage for returning the bucket to normal excavating position after dumping the contents of said bucket.

4'. In an excavating and loading machine comprising a frame, an excavating conveyei"comprising a series of buckets, carriages also connected with the conveyer and adapted to cooperate with each bucket, gripping members on said carriages, supporting means on the buckets engageable by the ripping members said supporting means.

having an. element predetermining the point of disengagement with said gripping members, and means for controlling the relea operation of the gripping members. 7 In an excavating and loading machine comprising a frame, an excavating conveyer comprising an endless chain of buckets (carriages also connected with the conveyer and adapted to cooperate with the buckets, a track for said conveyer, gripping members on said carriages normally coacting with the track, and means on the buckets engageable by the gripping members aforesaid to support the buckets in excavating position, said track having means to regulate the point in the travel of said conveyer for the release of said gripping members.

(i. In an excavating and loading machine comprising a frame, a track supported thereby, an excavating conveyer comprising a plurality of buckets, carriages connected to the conveye and adapted to cooperate with each of said buckets, gripping members mounted on said carriages, and studs on the buckets adapted to be engaged by the gripping members to support the buckets in excavating position, the track aforesaid having an element coacting with the gripping members to control the engagement and disengagement of the studs.

7. In an excavating and loading machine comprising a frame, a track supported there by. an excavating conveyer comprising a phirality of buckets, carriages connected to the conveyerand adapted to cooperate with each of said buckets, gripping members mounted on said carriages, studs on the buckets adapted to be engaged by the gripping members to support the buckets in excavating position, the studs for each succeeding bucket having 'arying sized. heads, the track aforesaid having an element coacting with the gripping members to control the engagement and disengagement of said gripping members with the studs according to the size of the heads of said studs.

8. In an excavating and loading machine comprising a frame, a track supported thereby and comprising opposing flanges constituting runways, an excavating conveyer comprising an endless chain of buckets and supported upon the flanges aforesaid, car riages connected to the conveyer in fixed re lation to each bucket, and gripping members on said carriages, the track aforesaid having a flange with which the gripping members cooperate, supporting members carried by the cutting edge of the buckets and adapted to be receivedbetween the gripping members aforesaid whereby the'cutting edge of the bucket is held in excavating position, the flange of the track cooperating wit-h the gripping members having a tapering portion whereby the gripping memoers are resupported upon the flanges aforesaid, carriages connected to the conveyer in fixed relation to each bucket, gripping members on said carriages, the track aforesaid having a flange with which the gripping members cooperate, supporting members carried by the cutting edge of the buckets and adapted to be received between the gripping members aforesaid whereby the cutting edge of the bucket is held in'excavating position, the flange of the track cooperating with the gripping members having a tapering portion whereby the gripping members are released to disengage the same from the bucket sup porting members aforesaid, and means on the carriage normally holding the gripping members in contact with its cooperating track flange and adapted to actuate the gripping members to release the bucket supporting members aforesaid.

10. In an excavating and loading machine comprising a frame, a track supported thereby and comprising opposing flanges constituting runways, an excavating conveyer comprising an endless chain of buckets and supported upon the flanges aforesaid, car- 'ri ages connected to the conveyer in fixed relation to each bucket, gripping members on said carriages, the track aforesaid having a flange with. which the gripping members cooperate, supporting members carried by the cutting edge of the buckets and adapted to be received between the gripping members aforesaid whereby the cutting edge of the bucket is held in excavating position, the flange of the track cooperating with the gripping members having a tapering portion whereby the gripping members are released to disengage the same from, the bucket supporting members aforesaid, means on the carriage normally holding the gripping members in contact with its cooperating track flange and adapted to actuate the gripping members to release the bucket supporting members aforesaid, and means for normalizing the position of the bucket-s with the supporting means between the gripping members.

11. In an excavating and loading machine comprising a frame, a track siuiiportcd thereby and comprising opposing horizontal flanges constituting runways, an endless excavating conveyer mounted for travel on said flanges, buckets pivotally connected at one end to the conveyer, studs carried by said buckets at the other end, carriages connected to the conveyer above the studs aforesaid in fixed relation to the bucket, gripping members adapted to receive therebetween the studs aforesaid to support the buckets in excavating position. said track having a downwardly projecting flange with which the gripping members cooperate to maintain the studs between the gripping members, said last mentioned flange having a longitudinally tapering portion whereby the gripping members are caused to separate to disengage the studs for dumping the bucle ets, springs normally actuating the gripping members to cooperate with said flange. and springs connected with the buckets and the carriages for normalizing the position of the buckets with the studs between the gripping members upon dumping the contents of said buckets.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BAUER.

\Vitnesses:

D. M. Hnns'r, P. G. Norma.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. C. 

